Number of customers leaving AIS doubled Friday : NBTC

Customers ditching AIS for another cellular network doubled on Friday.

The anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee had urged its supporters to boycott products and services from businesses affiliated with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thaksin, brother of the current prime minister, founded Advanced Info Service, or AIS, but his family has sold its shares in the firm, according to its most recent report.

Thakorn Tantasit, secretary-general of the National Broadcasting and Telecommuni-cations Commission, said yesterday that AIS handled up to 1,400 requests on Friday from subscribers wanting to move their mobile phone number to a competitor.

Of the 1,400 former AIS customers, 70 per cent moved over to DTAC and the rest to True. "The number surged from the normal level," he said.

AIS usually receives only about 700 requests a day from defected customers, he said.

On Saturday, DTAC and True sent Line messages to potential customers offering special promotions for cellphone users who switch to their services. The regulator would closely monitor the situation, he said.

"We will try to prevent any adverse impact on the telecom industry," he said.